author
John R. (John Roy) Musick
1849–1901
A lively American writer of historical adventure, he is best remembered for the popular Columbian Historical Novels and for bringing episodes from American and world history to a wide general audience. Before turning fully to writing, he also worked as a teacher, lawyer, and newspaper publisher in Missouri.
4 Audiobooks
Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty Established
by John R. (John Roy) Musick
A Century Too Soon: The Age of Tyranny
by John R. (John Roy) Musick
The Witch of Salem; or, Credulity Run Mad
by John R. (John Roy) Musick
Brother Against Brother; or, The Tompkins Mystery. A Story of the Great American Rebellion.
by John R. (John Roy) Musick
About the author
Born in St. Louis County, Missouri, in 1849, he grew up in Adair County and studied at the First District Normal School in Kirksville. After teaching for a short time, he read law, passed the bar, and practiced as an attorney before moving into journalism and full-time literary work.
He became known as a historical author and poet, with his best-known achievement being the Columbian Historical Novels, a large series issued in the 1890s. His books aimed to make history vivid and accessible through fast-moving narrative, and he also wrote on Missouri history, Hawaii, and other subjects, sometimes using pseudonyms.
He died in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1901. Though not as widely read today as he once was, his work reflects a period when historical fiction was one of the most popular ways for readers to explore the past.